Socket connector having removable terminals



Jan. 6, 1953 w. T. MEARS 2,624,773

SOCKET CONNECTOR HAVING REMOVABLE TERMINALS Filed June 9. 1948 2SHEETS--SHEET 1 Il /ga 5 Zmnento r W /k/vzz z/ vzi Jan. 6, w MEARSSOCKET CONNECTOR HAVING REMOVABLE TERMINALS Filed June 9, 19,48 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 Snventor Patented Jan. 6, 1953 'TSOCKET"CONNECTOR HAVINGREMOVABLE "TERMINALS William 'Er-Mears, Anderson, Ind., assign'o'r toGeneral Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation of DelawareApplication-June 9, 1948, Serial'No."31,959

I 6 Claims.

Thepresentinvention relates toelectrical connecting devices and more,,particularly to connectors associated with the terminals of lamps suchas are used in automobile headlamps or light projecting-units of thetype-commenly known as Sealed Beam headlamps for detachablyconnecting-oneor'more lamp terminals with one or more wires of anelectrical current conducting cable.

"It is theprincipal object of the present invention to provide a deviceof the above-mentioned character which may be quickly and easilyattached to or detached from the terminals of lamp without disturbingthe assembled relationship of the connector parts.

It is a furtherzobject of the present invention to provide-aconnectorconstruction which is simple, (inexpensive, easily assembledand adapted to quantity production manufacturing methods.

These and other objects are attained in :ac- .cordance with theipresentinvention by providing a connector in which the connector terminal ispositioned .in a recess formed within the body or the connector and heldin position for positive engagement with the terminal of a lamp by anelectrically independent, generally U-shaped member formed with meansadjacent its ends which interlock respectively with cooperating memberson the connector terminal and in the wall of thebody recesses. Beingelectrically independent, i.-el, not forming part of the currentconducting path, the generally U -shaped member may beimade ofaresilient material,-such as steel, which 'is less apt to take apermanent set during the assembly of the terminal in the connectorrecess; thus insuring that the connector terminal Will'b'e securelylockedin contact-engaging position and that there will be better circuitengaging relationship between the connector and lamp terminals.

."Furtherbbjectsand advantages of the present invention willbecome-apparent as the following description proceedsand the features ofnovelty which'characterize this invention will be pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisspecification.

;For a better understanding of :my :invention referencemay be had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure .1 is a side elevation showing the connector applied to theterminals of a headlamp bulb; Figure 2 is a view of the connector takenalongzthe line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 isa-s'ectionalviewtaken'lalongthe line 33 of Figurel2; Figure. 74 is a view of the connector takenalong the line 4-4 ofFigure 3'; -'Fi'gure5- isan exploded perspectiveview of the con'n'ectorterminal and one form of the generally u -shapedmember; Figure '6 is a fragmentary view insection taken along thelinett-o'f Figure4jf'igure 7 'is'afra'gmen'tary view insectionsimilar toFigure 3 ta-ken along 'the'line' l--'l of Figure- '8 illustratingamodified form of connector housingi Figure'8 is' a -'-view takem'alongthe line 8-8 -'of Figure 7; Figure 'Q is a fra'gmentary'view in sectiontaken along the line 99 of Figure 10;'Fi-gure 10 is-a view tak'en 'alongthe line iii-Ill of Figure 7; Figure I l-is a'iragmentary view insection illustrating another form of the connector housing and Figure 12isa perspective view of a modified form of'the generally -U -shapedmember.

Referringnow to Figure 1, there isshown the c'onnector tli of the-present invention forming part of a lighting'unit 'assembly. Theconnector iii is applied to the terminals 112 of a lamp l4 mountedin'arefiector l5. Thelamp l l re'fiector l6 :and the icooperating lens(not shown) may form part of what is commonly known as '-a fSealed:Be'am lighting unit. "The terminals l2, as shown, are formed in theshape of flat blades lor prongs and are adapted to register directlywith atheconnectorterminals I18 in amanner'best shownl'in Figures LB'and6.

The connector IEicomprisessan insulative body member 28, connectorterminals 18 and resilient members 22. The body member 2!] is made ofasuitable insulative, material and formed with a plurality of passages 24.adapted totreceive and position the lamp terminals l2:andtthe connectorterminals IS in current conducting:relationship. Shoulders 2.61 fo-rmedin one wall of passages 24 .are provided for locking the connectorpartssin position as 'will beldescribedhereinafter. Rectangular openings28 corresponding "to the position of therlampterminals #l 2 are providedin the end wall 30 of the connector- 28 for'receivingthe lamp terminals1 2. Rectangular openings-3! are formed in the end wall to permit' theinsertion of a sharp-fledged instrument for lifting "the leg-of the U-shaped 1 member 1 engaging i the shoulder-"26 clear of theits'houlderwhen it is desired that the connector be disassembled.

,Theresili'entmemb'er 22 is made of'amaterial preferably steel which hassuitable spring characteristics to prevent its taking-a'permanent setduring the assembling of the "connector. It'is formed in agenerally Ushape-and provided'with rectangular openings 32 and 34 adjacent its'eridportions. Where the-resilient member 22 is made of'lsteeltor .a materialsusceptible to corrosion, -it

is generally preferred that the member be coated with a suitablecorrosion resisting material as, for example, cadmium.

The connector terminals l8 are made of a suitable current conductingmaterial and formed into the shape shown in Figures 3, and 6 from astamping by a series of continuous manufacturing operations. Itcomprises a turned end portion 36, a lug 38, a pair of cooperating earmembers 40 which engage the conducting wire 42 and a pair of cooperatingangular ear members 44 which are clinched about the conductor wirecoating 46. To provide suitable electrical conducting relationshipbetween the conducting wire 42 and the connector terminal l8 after theconductor wire 42 has been clinched in the position shown, the portioncomprising the ear members 40 and the end of the conducting wire 52 isdipsoldered.

In assembling the connector 10 the resilient member 22 is secured to theconnector terminal l8 by inserting the lug 38 of the connector terminall8 in the rectangular opening 32 of the resilient member 22 and thesecured parts are inserted into the recess 24 in the connector bodyuntil the shoulder 2-6 formed in the wall of recess 24 engages andinterlocks with the rectangular opening 34 in the resilient member 22.It will be seen from Figures 3 and 6 of the drawings that when theshoulder 26 and rectangular opening 34 interlock the turned end 36 ofthe connector terminal l8 abuts the end wall of the connector body 23and is in position to receive the lamp terminal l2 along the face of itsturned end.

In Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings there is illustrated amodification of the connector of the present invention in which the bodymember 48 is provided with T-shaped openings 50 in the end wall. Withthis form of opening the leg of the T-shaped opening provides means forinserting an instrument to disassemble the connector while the top ofthe T-shaped opening is in position to receive the lamp terminals l2.

In Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings there is illustrated anothermodification of the connector in which the generally U-shaped member 52is provided with a lug 54 adjacent one end of the member whichcooperates with an aperture 56 in the connector body member 58 to securethe assembled connector terminal in the body member.

A connector such as I have described hereinabove in connection with thepresent invention is composed of a minimum of parts and materials andmay be easily and quickly assembled thereby insuring a low cost ofmanufacture. Moreover, the arrangement of parts whereby the resilientmember locks the connector terminal in the connector enclosure is notapt to be disassembled by the thrust of the lamp terminals when theconnector is applied to the lamp.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a body of electrically insulatingmaterial having a passage therethrough, a stop formed on said bodyadjacent one end and extending into said passage, a shoulder formed onsaid body and extending inwardly therefrom into said passage, a terminalmember positioned in said passage, said terminal member having a flatcontact engaging portion in normal engagement with the wall of saidpassage, said flat contact engaging portion having an end portionangularly inclined thereto and extending into engagement with said stop,a lug formed intermediate said fiat portion and extending transverselythereto into said passage, a plurality of longitudinally spacedconductor clinching ears provided at the other end of the fiat contactengaging portion and a generally U-shaped resilient member positioned insaid passage to yieldingly urge said flat portion into engagement withthe wall of said passage and permit insertion of an electrical terminalbetween said terminal member and the wall of said passage, saidresilient member having an aperture adjacent one end thereof inreceiving engagement with said shoulder to lock said resilient member insaid passage and an aperture adjacent its other end and in receivingengagement with said lug to lock said terminal member in said passage.

2. An electrical connector comprising a body of electrically insulatingmateria1 having a plurality of passages therethrough, stops formed onsaid body adjacent one end and extending into each of said passages, ashoulder formed on said body and extending inwardly therefrom into eachof said passages, a terminal member positioned in each of said passages,each terminal member having a fiat contact engaging portion in normalengagement with the wall of the passage, each of said flat contactengaging portions having an end portion angularly inclined thereto andextending into engagement with one of said stops, a lug formedintermediate each of said flat portions and extending transverselythereto into the surrounding passage, a plurality of longitudinallyspaced conductor clinching ears provided at the other end of the flatcontact engaging portions of each of said terminal members and agenerally U-shaped resilient member positioned in each of said passagesto yieldingly urge the flat portions of each of said terminal membersinto engagement with the wall of the passage and permit reception of aterminal in each of the passages of said body between the terminalmember and the wall of the passage, said resilient member having anaperture adjacent one end thereof engaging the shoulder in each of saidpassages and an aperture adjacent its other end and engaging the lugextending from the flat portions.

3. An electrical connector comprising a body of electrically insulatingmaterial having a passage therethrough, a shoulder formed on said bodyand extending inwardly therefrom into said passage, a terminal memberpositioned in said passage, said terminal member having a flat contactengaging portion in n0rma1 engagement with the wall of said passage,said flat contact engaging portion having an end terminal-guidingangularly inclined thereto, a lug formed near one end of said fiatportion and extending transversely thereto into said passage, conductorattaching means provided at the other end of the flat contact en agingportion, and a generally U-shaped resilient member positioned in saidpassage to yieldingly urge said flat portion into engagement with thewall of said passage and permit insertion of an electrical terminalbetween said terminal member and the Wall of said passage, saidresilient member having an aperture adjacent one end thereof inreceiving engagement with said shoulder to lock said resilient member insaid passage and an aperture adjacent its other end and in receivingengagement with said lug to lock said terminal member in said passage.

4. An electrical connector comprising a body of electrically insulatingmaterial having a passage therethrough, stop means formed on said bodyadjacent one end and extending into said passage, a shoulder formed onsaid body and extending inwardly therefrom into said passage, a terminalmember positioned in said passage, said terminal member having a flatcontact engaging portion in normal engagement with the wall of saidpassage, said flat contact engaging portion having an end portionangularly inclined thereto and extending toward said stop means, a lugformed intermediate said flat portion and extending transversely theretointo said passage, means on the end of said terminal contact portionopposite said inclined end for securing an electrical conductor, and agenerally U-shaped resilient member positioned in said passage toyieldingly urge said flat portion into engagement with the wall of saidpassage and permit insertion of an electrical terminal between saidterminal member and the wall of said passage, said resilient memberhaving an aperture adjacent one end thereof in receiving engagement withsaid shoulder to lock said resilient member in said passage and anaperture adjacent its other end and in receiving engagement with saidlug to lock said terminal member in said passage.

5. An electrical connector comprising a body of electrically insulatingmaterial having a plurality of passages therethrough, electricalterminal stop means formed on said body adjacent one end and extendinginto each of said passages, a shoulder formed on said body and extendinginwardly therefrom into each of said passages, a terminal memberpositioned in each of said passages, each terminal member having a flatcontact engaging portion in normal engagement with the wall of thepassage, each of said fiat contact engaging portions having an endportion angularly inclined thereto and extending toward one of said stopmeans, a lug formed intermediate each of said flat portions andextending transversely thereto into the surrounding passage, means onthe end of each of said contact portions opposite said inclined end forsecuring an electrical conductor, and a generally U-shaped resilientmember positioned in each of said passages to yieldingly urge the fiatportions of each of said terminal members into engagement with the wallof the passage and permit reception of a terminal in each of thepassages of said body between the terminal member and the Wall of thepassage, said resilient member having an aperture adjacent one endthereof engaging the shoulder in each of said passages and an apertureadjacent its other end and engaging the lug extending from the flatportions.

6. An electrical connector comprising a body of electrically insulatingmaterial having a passage therethrough, a locking portion forming a partof said body, a terminal member positioned in said passage, saidterminal member having a flat contact engaging portion in normalengagement with the wall of said passage, said flat contact engagingportion having an end terminal-guiding portion angularly inclinedthereto, a lug formed near one end of said flat portion and extendingtransversely thereto into said passage, conductor attaching meansprovided at the other end of the flat contact engaging portion, and agenerally U-shaped resilient member positioned in said passage toyieldingly urge said fiat portion into engagement with the wall of saidpassage and permit insertion of an electrical terminal between saidterminal member and the wall of said passage, said resilient memberhaving a locking portion adjacent one end thereof for cooperativeengagement with said first named locking portion to lock said resilientmember in said passage and an aperture adjacent its other end and inreceiving engagement with said lug to lock said terminal member in saidpassage.

WILLIAM T. MEARS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,231,417 Nero Jan. 26, 19171,969,991 Robinson Aug. 14, 1984 1,990,?! Nichols et a1 Feb. 5, 19352,105,884 Hanser et al. Jan. 18, 1938 2,296,633 Falge Sept. 22, 19422,301,447 Parker et al. Nov. 10, 1942 2,318,650 Penfold May 11, 19432,392,438 Wade Jan. 8, 1946

